It's a loaf!

Very happy to say that bread-making has become easier and less nerve wracking. Kneading is now less daunting, and even wet and sticky dough doesn't rattle me as much. Before my first loaf, the whole process of handling flour and yeast seemed so precarious, which was enough to keep me away from even attempting to bake my own bread. 

Well, I'm still figuring out the perfect ratio of flour and water and levain vs. dry yeast, but overall, it's been mostly smooth sailing. Every bake has yielded really amazing and amazingly smelling bread, which is even more fantastic because I made it myself from scratch. Every slice, whether plain, with butter, peanut butter or tuna salad is fantastic. Add to that the savings that I gain by making my own bread.

Weren't it for this sheltering in place, I don't think I'd even consider baking my own loaf. I'm not thankful for the pandemic, but I'm definitely glad I took advantage of this extra time at home and thought of ways to minimize my trips to the grocery store. Baking my own bread is just one delicious, freshly baked way to make the most of this situation.